Do the disbelievers include People of the Book?

Question

In the Holy Qur'an, two categories of people are addressed in various verses: the believers and the disbelievers. Do the disbelievers include People of the Book, e.g. Christians and Jews?

Here is an example:

Sahih International But if you do not - and you will never be able to - then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.

Answer 1

People of the Book might refer to different groups.

• The Jews and Christians who reject the Quran and Muhammad ﷺ. These are disbelievers. Scholars have cited a consensus on this and have even cited consensus that expressing denial or uncertainty on this fact is by itself a nullifier of a person's Islam.

  ولما جاءهم كتاب من عند الله مصدق لما معهم ... كفروا به فلعنة الله على الكافرين

  And when there came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them ... they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah will be upon the disbelievers.

  ^{— Quran 2:89}

  إن الذين يكفرون بالله ورسله ويريدون أن يفرقوا بين الله ورسله ويقولون نؤمن ببعض ونكفر ببعض ويريدون أن يتخذوا بين ذلك سبيلا أولئك هم الكافرون حقا

  Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - Those are the disbelievers, truly.

  ^{— Quran 4:150-151}

• The Jews and Christians of ancient times before the arrival of Muhammad ﷺ. There were both believers and disbelievers among them.

  لعن الذين كفروا من بني إسرائيل على لسان داوود وعيسى ابن مريم

  Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary.

  ^{— Quran 5:78}

  فآمنت طائفة من بني إسرائيل وكفرت طائفة

  And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved.

  ^{— Quran 61:14}

• The individuals from the Bani Israel, and the followers of Judaism and Christianity who have accepted Islam, believed in the Quran and Muhammad ﷺ and all the other essential creeds of Islam. These are believers.

  وإن من أهل الكتاب لمن يؤمن بالله وما أنزل إليكم وما أنزل إليهم خاشعين لله لا يشترون بآيات الله ثمنا قليلا أولئك لهم أجرهم عند ربهم إن الله سريع الحساب

  And indeed, among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in Allah and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them, [being] humbly submissive to Allah. They do not exchange the verses of Allah for a small price. Those will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.

  ^{— Quran 3:199}

  ثلاثة لهم أجران رجل من أهل الكتاب آمن بنبيه، وآمن بمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم

  Three persons will have a double reward: A person from the People of the Scripture who believed in his prophet and then believed in Muhammad ﷺ ...

  ^{— Bukhari}

Answer 2

No it does not, the people of the book (Jews and Christians) originally were believers. There are those who believed and those who disbelieved. Those who believed are the ones who have no fear or sadness and will have their reward.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (٦٢)

Those who believe (in the Qur'an) and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures) and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (62)

Surah Bakarah Ayah 62

But those who disbelieve as Allah has said in Surah Al Baiynah Ayah 6 are the worst of creatures:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَآ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمۡ شَرُّ ٱلۡبَرِيَّةِ (٦)

Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will be in Hell-fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures. (6)